Vehicle wheel



May 8, 11951 Q s, ASH 2,551,783

VEHICLE WHEEL Filed Deo. 2s, 194e 5 sheets-sheet 1 5% @Mm wwf l WW C. S.ASH

VEHICLE WHEEL May 8, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed DeC. 28, 1946 INVENTORC/mres 5. Ash 'BY May 8, 1951 c. s. ASH 2,551,783

VEHICLE WHEEL A Filed Dec. 2e, 194e 'sheets-sheet s t lNvi-:N'ro Charles5. /Ish @MM Wp; U7 TOSNEYS Patented May 8, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENT OFICVEHICLE WHEEL Charles S. Ash, Milford, Mich.

Application December 28, 1946, Serial No. 719,101

1 Claim. (Cl. 301-63) The present invention relates to an improvedVehicle Wheel of the demountable at the hub type.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in parthereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned bypractice with the invention, the same being realized and attained bymeans of the instrumentalities, processes, steps and combinationspointed out in the appended claim.

The invention consists in the novel steps, parts, constructions,arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a parthereof, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and together with thedescription, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional View of a vehicle Wheel embodying thepresent invention and made in accordance with the method thereof;

v Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the Wheel shown in Fig.I 1 above thecenterline thereof viewed from the outside of the Wheel;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a modified embodiment ofthe invention;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View above the centerline of anothermodified embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the wheel shown in Fig. 4 viewed from theoutside of the Wheel;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the web of the wheel shown in Figs. 4 and5 viewed from the inside of the web; and

Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 1l are views of a rim segment in various stages offabrication in accordance with the method of the present invention.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved vehiclewheel of the demountable at the hub type Which is particularly adaptablefor light vehicle use such as, for instance, passenger cars and lightfarm vehicles, and to provide a method for fabricating such Wheels.Another object is the provision of an economical demountable at the hubtype of vehicle wheel with a drop center type of rim which is of strongAand Well balanced construction. The invention Referring now in detailto the illustrative embodiments of the invention and the method thereofshown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, and referringfirst to the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that thevehicle wheel is of three piece construction comprising the web i5 andthe drop center rim halves it and ii which are preferably duplicates ofeach other except that an aperture i8 is provided in the outer half i5to receive an inner tube valve stem. The Wheel is adapted to be mountedat the hub upon a hub member i9 which may be any one of a number ofdifferent conventional present day hubs or similar thereto. The hub isprovided With a ange 2e having mounting bolts 2l to be received throughapertures 22 in the curved mounting bosses 23 of the Web, andfrusto-conical nuts 2&3 may be used for demountably lmounting the wheel,the apertures 22 being provided with suitably inclined defining Walls255 to cooperate with the nuts.

As shown the Web i5 is strongly formed having an inner peripheral turnedportion it merging into a plane except for bosses 23 bolting on portion2i, which terminates in a reversely curved central web portion 2B. Fromthe portion 28 the web extends in a generally frusto-conically shapedportion 29 which terminates at the outer periphery of the web in anintegral, axially in- Wardly turned, substantially cylindrical portion39. The rim halves i6 and il abut at approximately the center ofcylindrical portion 39, and are welded to the web by arcuate lines ofWelding 3i and 32 on the outside and inside respectively of the Wheel,said welding beinfy arranged in staggered relationship circumferentiallyof the Wheel as shown.

Referring noW to the method of the present invention utilized in thefabrication of the Wheel just described, the web l5 is stamped orpressed out of a blank of suitable metal, and the tapered mountingapertures 22 are drawn and coined. These operations may be carried outwith machine tools of general use and application which are relativelyplentiful and reasonable to buy.

The fabrication of the drop center rim segments or halves le and ll isshown in Figs. 7 to ll of the drawings. As shown in Fig. '7, a blank ofmetal 35 represented in dotted lines in its original plane condition isiirst rolled into the form ofa loop or ring 3B, and this may beaccomplished with a simple band ceiling roll. The ends of the ring S arenext butt Welded together as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings with a welddesignated 310, and the flash of the Weld is then 3 removed in anysuitable way, leaving a smooth workable ring 35 as illustrated in Fig. 9of the drawings.

Thereafter a heavy press is utilized in the formation of the rim halvesand, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, the ring 36 is positioned inthe female ring die 31 with its edge against shoulder 38 and the malering die 39 cooperates therewith to form the tire flange 40 (Fig. 1l) ofthe rim half. The ring 36, so formed, is then positioned between othercooperatingly formed ring dies 4l and 42 and pressed to provide thefrusto-conical wall 43 and cylindrical wall 44 (Fig. l) completing thedrop center formation of the rim half I6 or Il. An aperture I8 may atthis time be conveniently provided in the rim half if it is to become anouter half I6.

The dimensions of the Various dies used in the pressing operationsforming the web I5 and the rim halves I6 and I'l are so chosen that therim halves will be a tight press fit on the external surface of thecylindrical portion 39 of the web. The rim halves are thus press ttedupon the web with their edges abutting centrally of portion 3D, and thewelding 3| and 32 is made in the positions already described and asshown.

In the formation of the wheel described it will be noted that the entirefabrication has been effected by a simple rolling operation and uponordinary presses, and that no highly specialized fr drop center rimrolling or other equipment has been required. No riveting or machinework has been necessary, and the wheel has been economically formed onusual tools of the three parts l5, I6 and Il.

In the formation of the rim as described it will be noted that theflange 40 of the rim half was expanded or stretched from the ring 36,and that the portions 43 and 44 Were formed by compact ing oi reducingthe ring 3B in the pressing operations. Proportional strength asrequired is thus provided in the finished rim halves and in the finishedrim, the radially outer portions being thinner while the radially innerportions are denser, thicker and stronger.

It will be understood that variations in the pressing steps outlined maybe followed within the scope of the present invention. If the metal usedfor the rim halves I6 and I7 is relatively soft and malleable it ispossible to combine the pressing operations shown in Figs. 10 and 11 ofthe drawings, having a single pressing operation with the use ofsuitably formed ring dies, as will be understood by those skilled in theart. Also, in the use of such a procedure, it might be found desirableto press the ring or loop 36 into the shape of a frustum of a rightcircular cone, and thereafter by pressing operation form the rim halvesi6 and I7.

Fig. 3 of the drawings illustrates a modified embodiment of theinvention in which the rim halves 59 and 5I are press fitted on thecylindrical outer periphery of a web 52 but their adjacent edges arebrought into a spaced relationship. A circular weld 53 is then madewhereby the web and rim halves are securely joined by the single weld.The rim halves and web are formed in accordance with the method alreadydescribed.

Another embodiment of the invention is disclosed in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 ofthe drawings and is likewise fabricated in accordance with the methoddescribed. The web 55 is formed of the generally rectangular blank shownin Fig. 6 of the drawings, the corners 56 thereof shown in dotted linesin the drawings being inwardly turned in the pressing operation thereonto provide a plurality of outer surfaces 57 upon which the rim halves 58and 59 are press fitted into abutting relationship and welded by meansof inner and outer welds 66 and 6! respectively. As clearly shown inFig. 5, the web 55 does not engage the rim formation intermediate theturned corners 56, which provides a Somewhat spoke-like formation forthe wheel. There is thus saved a substantial amount of material inmaking the web portion of the wheel, as the web blank may besubstantially smaller than would be the case if a full engagement of weband rim were used. The iinished wheel, however, is of strong and durableconstruction.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specificmechanisms, process and steps shown and described but departures may bemade therefrom, within the scope of the accompanying claim, withoutdeparting from the principlesl of the invention and without sacrificingits chief advantages.

What I claim is:

A vehicle wheel comprising, in combination, a pressed curved web memberhaving an integral cylindrical outer peripheral portion and a rim forsaid web of the drop center type, said rim comprising a pair ofindividual, annular, duplicate, pressed rim halves seated on saidcylindrical portion and welded thereto by arcuate lines of we1ding, saidlines for the respective ones of said halves being circumferentiallyoffset with respect to each other.

CHARLES S. ASH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 419,488 Arnold et al Jan. 14,1890 1,602,630 White Oct. 12, 1926 1,912,594 Sauzedde June 6, 19332,083,229 Horn et al June 8, 1934 2,038,211 Frank Apr. 2l, 19362,068,947 Frank Jan. 26, 1937 2,090,254 Eksergian Aug. 17, 19372,231,183 Flandes Feb. 11, 1941 2,247,002 Rendleman June 24, 19412,397,719 Ash Apr. 2, 1946

